Citation

Lerner ND, Collins BL. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 1980; 24(1): 484-487.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1071181380024001126

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Twenty-five symbols for fire-alerting, of which 22 were proposed by the International Organization for Standardization, were evaluated for 91 U.S. subjects. The purpose of the experiment was two-fold: 1) to determine the understandability of each symbol; and 2) to assess the effects of variations in both presentation and response methods upon the measurement of understandability. There was no significant effect of the mode of stimulus presentation: slides, placards, or booklets. The two response methods-providing a definition or selecting among choice alternatives (and providing confidence ratings for answers)-led to generally similar conclusions. Some serious problems in understandability and several dangerous confusions in meaning were identified for symbols proposed for international standardization.

Language: en